Here We Go Again
by wheredoesithurt
Summary: Set during "Not An Addict". Jude's more than heartbroken. She's passed out in Jamie's basement and G Major has dropped her from the label. So, she signs with NBR instead. JADE
1. Prolouge

**A/N: **I know I haven't finished Sick Inside. To be honest, I'm stuck... again. So, I'm going to start thinking about some more plot ideas. In the mean time, I already have most of this story written, so I'm going to post it. It follows the episode "Not An Addict" and yes, it is a Jade. Tell me what you think.

--

Prologue - Here We Go Again

"Here we go again, back to where we've never been. Take it from the end. Start over, and make it better." - Alexz Johnson

He wasn't quite sure why he followed her into his studio. HIs whole relationship with her- it was all drama. And he had his own problems to work through... or maybe he just wanted to ignore the hurt, and being around Jude, that hurt.

But it wasn't worth it to try and hurt her back. It didn't matter how he felt. Jude was more important in his eyes - always.

"How does it sound?"

Her eyes locked into his, curious, but determined.

"It's busy." He looked down at the laptop, trying to focus on recording and not the girl in front of him. The song had way too much on it, or atleast way more than he had ever seen. "Are you sure you want to keep all these tracks?"

For some reason, she looked annoyed at that question.

"Yeah, I want everything," she said quickly. "But I think I want to go over the second verse again."

Jamie pulled the headphones off his ears, rubbing at his eyes. "It's fine. We can keep going in the morning if you still don't like it tomorrow, okay?. Go get some rest, Jude."

She came out of the studio, one finger tapping the side of her mouth as she thought. "There's something off about the snare."

"Jude, go home," he said, his voice stern. "Get some sleep."

She stared at him for a second, her eyes narrowed.

"You go. I want to finish this."

She took one step backwards before her knees buckled underneath her, her eyes fluttering closed as she fell toward the floor. Jamie jumped from the chair, his arms wrapping around her small waist.

He quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket with one hand and pulled up his text message menu. He pressed Sadie's name.

_Taking Jude to the hospital. Meet me there._


	2. Back to where we've never been

Jude felt herself pulling forward, felt the heaviness of her body, which was sore. She tried to open her eyes. They were blurry.

Sadie, Jamie, and SME sat around her in the room. Jamie had his head in his hands, asleep.

That's when the panicked settled in, like a weight, pulling on her chest and heart, making it race.

"Jamie-" her voice came out hoarse. Sadie's head jerked up to look at her sister. Jude tried to clear her throat as Jamie yawned, looking at her with sleepy eyes.

"You're awake," Sadie said, giving her hand a squeeze. "I'm going to get the doctor, okay?"

"No, wait," she said. "My hard drive- where is it?"

They all shared a look that she didn't quite understand. Sadie sighed, and sat back down. "Can you guys give us a second?" she asked.

Spied nodded. "See you later, dude."

When the door closed, Jamie stayed seated. Sadie didn't dare ask him to leave, not when it came to Jude.

"What's going on?" Jude asked, her eyes narrowed.

"Jude-" Sadie looked down. "You need to tell us what happened."

She gave out a short laugh, crossing her arms over her chest. "What are you talking about? Nothing happened."

"You passed out in my basement, Jude," Jamie said quietly from his corner, his eyes adverted.

"And you've been obsessing about an album that's been done for weeks," Sadie finished. "Ever since you came back, you've been acting... weird. What happened? Did Tommy do something to you?"

"No," she said angrily. "Nothing happened."

"Fine," Sadie said, sighing. "Don't tell me... but you should. The doctor said you were exhausted, dehydrated. You haven't been taking care of yourself. I just want to know why. I'm worried about you."

She scoffed. "I'm fine! How many times do I have to tell you?" she asked, pulling the covers off of her and began looking for her clothes. "I'm leaving. I'm eighteen, I can sign myself out."

"Jude, come on," Sadie said, her eyes pleading. "Don't be like this."

"No, you don't understand anything!" She slipped on her jeans and grabbed the rest of her things, stuffing them into her purse. "So leave it."

"I'd understand if you'd talk to me," Sadie said,.

"I can't!" Jude said, her eyes glassy as she opened the door.

Before she could leave, a hand reached out, grabbing her elbow and twisting her around.

"You're pathetic," Jamie spat. "We all know this is about Tommy. It always is. And you know what? Get over it already. How many times are you going to do this to yourself? Is it worth it? Tell me, Jude."

She opened her mouth, shocked, but no words escaped.

"Wake up," he said, his voice echoing around the hospital room. "You blow us off for helping you. Selfish much? You need a reality check. Yes, Tommy is going to hurt you again. And when he does, don't expect to come crying back to us. We're tired of it."

Everyone stood silent for a second. Jude's face was red, but she couldn't speak. Her heart was pounding in her chest.

"We care about you. Don't screw it up," he whispered. "And think about what I said. You have everyone here that loves you. Why do you need someone who is going to hurt you?"

Finally, Jude's face screwed up in anger, her eyes narrowed. Before he could see it coming, she slapped him, hard, across the face.

"You don't know anything about me and Tommy," she said coldly. "And in case you forgot, you abandoned me after I started dating him. That's selfish, not the other way around. If you were a true friend, you would have been there for me."

That being said, she stormed out of the room.

"Well, that didn't go over well," Sadie said, frowning.

Jamie sat down in his chair, rubbing a hand across his cheek where it stung.

"But that was kind of harsh," she continued.

Jamie sighed. "And we both know it was true."

Sadie found herself nodding. "She'll realize it sooner or later, you know. But right now, we need to help her while she's recovering and we both need to make sure she's taking care of herself."

"Fine," he said, relunctantly. He didn't want to be around her right now.

"And you'll probably want to apologize."

He wanted to reply back, tell her off or something, but he couldn't. Her words swirled around in his head and part of him knew she was right. He was done sulking. It was time to be mature about the whole situation. So, she was dating little Tommy Q. Yeah, it hurt, but he couldn't be a jerk anymore. He wanted to be there for her.

--

**A/N: **This story will probably be kind of short. Like a three-shot or maybe more. It's mostly just a JADE coming back together kind of thing, though I do want to add in some romance. Tell me what you think.


	3. Take it from the end

Jamie knocked on the Harrison's door, nervously. Sadie opened it and gave a small smile.

"She's in her room, writing," she said. "And as a warning, she's upset. Darius made her take a hiatus from the album for a few days."

He rubbed his head, sighing. "Alright, thanks... and thanks for, you know, last night. You were right. I was being an arse."

"I know," she said, smirking.

He made his way up to her room, knocking lightly, before entering. Her narrowed eyes met his and she put down her guitar, looking angry.

"What are you doing here?"

He raised up both of his arms. "Surrendering, Harrison. I'm here to apologize."

She opened her mouth to retort, but stopped. She crossed her arms and looking at him expectantly. "Let's hear it, then."

"Okay, fine. I was being a jerk, I know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have bailed on you and I shouldn't have said all those things, even if you know that most of it was true."

A look passed across her face, but he wasn't sure what it meant.

"And I'm sorry for saying we couldn't ever be friends again. I was just hurt."

"That's bold, Andrews," Jude said, almost impressed. "But thanks. I'm sorry I was being a jerk to you, too. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you about me and Tommy. I wanted to- but I just... couldn't get the words to come out. I didn't want to hurt you."

Her eyes looked sad for a moment. "I didn't want to lose my best friend."

"Well, he's not lost yet. And I think he's willing to try and be friends again, if you're willing," he said, giving a forced smile.

"Really?"

He nodded, sadly, knowing that this was giving in to her, giving in to the thought of her and Tommy.

She got up from where she sat and jumped into his arms, clutching him to her tightly. "I'm really glad you're not ignoring me anymore. I missed you."

"I missed you, too, Red," he said, holding her tighter, part of him yearning, wanting to do this with her as someone more than just friends, as someone who's girl wasn't attached to Tommy.

She pulled back first, smiling, and sat back down on the floor. She patted the spot next to her, and he followed her.

"So, fill me in on the details. What have you been up to?"

He gave a half-hearted smile. "NBR. We've got the funds, but we're still looking for an artist that's going to represent us."

"You'll find someone," she said, trying to assure him.

"Well, we do have someone we're working with," he told her. "But I'm not sure if it's going to work out."

She gave him a curious look. "Why? What's going on?"

He shrugged, adverting his eyes. He really didn't want to talk about the whole Blu thing with her. "It's nothing really. So," he cleared his throat. "What were you working on?"

Her face brightened at the question and she picked up her guitar. "It's still rough. I sang it with-" she looked away for a second. "When I was gone. I've changed up some of the lyrics. Want to hear it?"

He nodded.

She opened her mouth, a soft melody echoing throughout the room as the guitar picked up. "Am I heading for disaster? Am I forgetting what I know? Or am I afraid instead of letting go? Cuz' here we go again. Back to where we've never been. Take it from the end. Start over, and make it better."

He gave a small clap and she bowed in return, grinning. "Another Jude classic. It's good."

"You think?" she asked.

"Promise," he said. It was silent for a moment and he was starting to feel awkward. It felt like when they had tried to be friends before, after her and Tommy had started dating. Fake. Was he being fake with her? He was happy being her friend, right?

He rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I've got some business to take care of over at NBR. You know, recording and such. So, uh, yeah, I'll see you around, Harrison?"

She frowned, but nodded anyway. "Sure," she said, her voice almost a whisper.

He gave her a quick look, picking himself up from the floor and left, not daring to turn around and see her expression.

--

**A/N:** Okay, so I'm updating way faster than I ever have before, but I keep writing and I figured I might as well post it. A lot of plots and twists are bouncing around my head for this story. I really did want it to be a short story, but it might just evolve. Tell me what you think and thank you for the reviews!


	4. Start over

"Jude," a voice called out, and she whirled around, coming face to face with her sister's worried expression.

"Um, Darius wants you in his office," she said, slightly out of breath from trying to catch up to her.

Jude sighed. She had just been on her way to the studio to record and finish up her fourth album. But she was curious. Sadie seemed concerned.

"What about?"

Sadie shrugged. "I don't know."

"Alright, I'll catch up with you afterwards, okay?" she said, nodding, and before Sadie could respond, she made her way towards Darius's office, knocking on the door a few times before entering.

"Jude," he said, his voice stern. "Sit down."

She was starting to get concerned. He was acting... weird, but she sat down anyway, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I just listened to your fourth album-"

Her eyes grew wide, but she felt pissed. "I wasn't finished!"

He held up a hand, silencing her. "Interest is dropping. Your single didn't even hit the charts, and from what I heard, I can understand why."

"What does that even mean?" she asked, her eyes narrowed.

"As of today, you're done here, Jude. We're dropping you from the label."

She jumped up from where she sat, outraged. "What? You can't do that!"

"It's already been done," he told her. "We want you out by the end of the day, understood?"

She wanted to argue, to fight back, but she held her tongue. She felt stressed and pissed and angry and everything else. She wanted to punch the smirk off his face. But she nodded, numb.

"Fine," she said coldly, and walked out of the door without another word.

She didn't even bother grabbing her things. All she really needed was her guitar and if she did leave anything, Sadie could always get it for her later.

She slammed open the front doors, out of breath and shaking. She walked a little ways, before leaning against one of the walls of the building and sliding toward the ground. Her nerves felt on edge and her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. Her eyes were glassy for a moment, before she pulled herself off the ground, angrily, and stalked off.

--

The doors burst open and he turned around, quickly, pulling the headphones off his ears. Blu looked angry on the monitor at being interrupted, her hands on her hips.

"Jude," Jamie said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Her hair was disheveled. It looked as if she had run all the way here.

"G Major, they dropped me," she said breathless. "Like, just a second ago."

"What? Why?"

Blu opened the studio door. "Um, excuse me? We're recording here."

Jude turned toward Blu, putting a hand in the air. "I'm sorry," she said, ignoring the fact that the girl had just been rude to her. "I just really needed to tell someone," she told Jamie. "I don't know what to do, Jamie. What am I going to do?"

"Hey, calm down," he said, grabbing her arms and gently pushing her into his chair. "Take a deep breath, okay? It's all going to be okay."

Blu scoffed. "When you're done blabbering all over my boyfriend, tell him to give me a call. I'm taking a break," she said, giving a cold stare to Jude before walking off.

"Sorry," Jamie said. "She's- I mean, she can- We're not dating or anything. I don't know why she said that."

Jude ignored him. "What am I going to do, Jamie? How can they just drop me like that? I'm so confused and angry and-"

"I know," he said, kneeling down to get a good look at her. "But you don't need them anyway. They're all about selling out and making you record a crap song that they'll overproduce and sell like it's gold or something."

Jude gave him a hurt look, and he quickly continued. "Not like that. I don't think you're stuff is crap- I mean, G Major, they suck. That's partly why I left. You don't need them, Jude."

"But what will I do? I need a recording company. I can't stop making music, Jamie," she said, her eyes watery. "I can't."

"Then, you can," he looked around, trying to think. "You can work here! Be apart of NBR and help us make it big."

She opened her mouth, looking away for a second, but he could see the thought whirling about in her head. "Yeah," she said, inspired. "It'll be like- a big screw you to Darius!"

"And it'll help us to have your name attached to the company," he said, smiling.

"Let's do it," she said suddenly. "Sign me up."

He gave her a look, one eyebrow raised. "Are you sure this is what you really want to do though? It's kind of a big deal."

She smirked. "As long as I'm making music I'm happy," she said. "And pissing off Darius in the process, that's just a plus."

"Okay," he said, rustling through all his stuff to find the contract papers. "Wow, this is sudden." He sat down for a second. "I think I need a drink," he joked.

--

**A/N:** So, yeah, I've been writing all night. I can't stop writing actually. So, I'm posting again. I really do love this story. I've never been so into a fanfic before. Tell me what you guys think!


	5. And make it better

Jude sat outside of Jamie's house, waiting for him to get home. She had her guitar on her lap, a notebook laid out in front of her. She played a few chords, then stuck her pick in her mouth and wrote them down on the paper.

"Hey," Jamie said as he walked up toward her. "How long have you been here?"

She looked up, smiling, and noticed a girl standing next to him. "Um, not long. Just got here really."

The girl grinned down at her. "Jamie told me you signed with us."

"This is Zeppelin," Jamie said and the girl stuck out of hand for Jude to shake. "She's my unpaid intern."

They shared a smile, as if it were some kind of inside joke or something. Not really knowing why, Jude felt jealous. This was Jamie, her friend. How can this new girl just come into the picture and take him away? She took in a deep breath, knowing it was ridiculous to even think about.

"It's nice to meet you," Jude said, shaking her hand before quickly taking it away. She grabbed her guitar and shut her notebook.

"Oh yeah," Jamie said, as if forgetting something. "Let's go in and I'll show you around."

Jude nodded as Jamie and Zeppelin walked in first. It was nice. Not exactly what she expected. She had been here the night she passed out, but she hadn't seen everything. Not to mention, she was too busy recording to even take things into account. She had been so oblivious.

"Look the same as last time?" Jamie asked, grinning.

"Better," she said in response. He had changed a few things around. "So, where's Paegan? I heard he was working with you guys."

She turned around to look at them, but they both suddenly looked as if they didn't want to talk to her at all.

"My dad left," Zeppelin said with distaste. "To tour with G Major."

Jude's eyes widened. "Your dad? Woah, I so did not know that."

"Yeah," she said, looking down, her face suddenly sad.

"He took his funds with him," Jamie said. "I'm sorry, Jude. I'm not really sure how we're going to keep NBR running now." His face looked tired and stressed and she wanted to pull him into a comforting hug, but refrained.

Her mind was already moving. "We can put on a show, to raise money. Plus, I still have some left from my last album."

"You sure?" he said, uncertain. "It takes a lot to run a production label."

She nodded, giving a small smile. "We can do it. So, when do we start?"

He raised both eyebrows, giving a quick look toward Zeppelin and then back to Jude. "Whenever you want. It's up to you. Let's get the board out and run through some ideas." His voice was excited.

"Where's your other artist?" Jude asked, looking around the room. "Does she come often?"

"Oh," Zeppelin said. "We, um, well Jamie- he booted her from the label yesterday."

Jude looked at him, surprised. "You did? Why?"

Jamie shrugged. There was that look again, the one he shared with Zeppelin and she felt like screaming. "She was kind of going behind our backs, trying to get a deal with G Major. Not to mention, you mess with any of us here at NBR, you go down."

They shared a smile and Jude looked down, trying to take a deep breath, telling herself over and over to just chill. It was nothing to be worried about. Plus, Jamie was her friend.

"I'll get the board," Zeppelin said, grinning, and made her way out of the room.

"Thanks," Jamie said suddenly.

Jude's forehead creased in confusion. "What for?"

Jamie sat down in the chair in front of her. "Well, now that Paegan left, you're kind of keeping the label alive. And me and Zeppelin, we really want this to work out. I really think we can do well, if we get the chance, and you're kind of our chance. So, thanks."

Jude nodded, smiling. "Well, thanks, too. Without you guys, I'd probably be without a job and you know how much I want to keep singing."

"I know," he said, his voice almost a whisper.

She moved forward, not really sure why. She wanted to hold him, give him a hug, or something. She wanted to feel him and she knew he would feel like Jamie, like home.

Before she could reach him though, Zeppelin came through the room, still grinning, and Jude stopped.

"Okay, so, we need some ideas," Zeppelin said. "Jude, you said we could do a show to raise money, right? Would that work?"

Jude's eyes moved from Jamie's and she looked at Zeppelin. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure. And maybe, we can release something on iTunes. A demo, maybe."

"Good idea," Jamie said. "We should write that down."

Zeppelin nodded and wrote it on the board. "But where can we have the show at?"

Jude smiled then. "I think I know of a place. It's small though, but I'm pretty sure they'll let us play for one-third of the profit," she said.

"Sounds like a deal to me," Jamie said, shrugging.

"Awesome," Jude said. "Not to mention, I know for a fact that Darius goes there every weekend. He use to make me play there. Hopefully, he'll have one of their artists playing that night. Is there any way to find out?"

"Why?" Zeppelin asked.

"Because, it'll screw with his head," Jude said, smirking. "Make him know what he's missing. And if he's worried about what NBR's doing, he'll have less time to think about his own artists. It'll give us a one up on G Major."

"Cheers to that," Jamie said.

--

**A/N: **Here's the fifth installment to "Here We Go Again". Thanks for all the lovely reviews! It means a lot. I really do love this story.


	6. Here we go again

Jude looked out over the cheering crowd and smiled, taking the microphone in her hands. "I'd really like to thank all of you for coming tonight. It means so much to me," she said. She placed the microphone back into its holder and pulled her guitar around, beginning to play.

"This is my last song of the night and I hope you guys enjoy it." She looked across the room, seeing Jamie and Zeppelin's grinning faces. Zeppelin gave her a thumbs up and for some reason, she felt good having that support there.

Her voice sounded rough, from the night of playing, but it fit for the song. She played "Here We Go Again," just as a tribute. She had finally finished changing the lyrics, molding them until they fit for what she wanted them to mean. She didn't want everything to be about Tommy anymore.

Jamie, what he said that night in the hospital, it was true, and it was started to dawn on her. Tommy had been gone for over a month now, and she was happy doing what she loved. Why couldn't that be enough for her? For some reason, she felt like maybe it could be.

When the song was finished, Zeppelin and Jamie were already there waiting for her.

"So, how did I do?" she asked, smiling.

Jamie picked her up, twirling her around as Zeppelin jumped up and down. "It was amazing, Jude."

She felt happy. She loved playing and now without G Major controlling her, she could do whatever she wanted when it came to her music.

"And how did we do money wise?" she asked.

Zeppelin grabbed her on the other side, both of them pulling her into a hug. "More than we expected," she said. "I think we have enough to produce your album."

Jude felt like doing her own cheer. She grinned. "Yes! I'm so excited. When do we start?"

Jamie laughed. "Tomorrow. Nine AM, okay?"

She nodded. "Alright, I'll be there. Come on, let's go," she said, grabbing her guitar and moving toward the exit. Then, suddenly, she turned back around. "Wait, Darius- was he here?"

Jamie sobered up instantly. "Yeah, he was."

She gave him a curious look, as if asking him to continue. "And... did he seem angry or anything?"

Jamie nodded. "Yeah," he said reluctantly. "They both did."

"They both?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Darius and Tommy were both here tonight," he said, looking down toward the floor.

She almost dropped her guitar, her mouth dropping. "What? He's here? Now? Why?" Almost as if reflex, she smoothed out her hair and clothes, making sure she looked okay.

"We don't know," Jamie said, shaking his head.

She breathed out, shakily, nervous. "Should I-" she cleared her throat, trying to shake the feeling of her nerves. "Go talk to him?"

Jamie and Zeppelin exchanged a look and Jamie sighed. "If you want to," he said, almost sadly.

Jude stood there for a second, lost in thought, trying to decide what to do. Her mind went over what happened, like a record, replaying until she felt angry.

"No," she said coldly. "I don't. Come on, let's leave."

"Are you sure?" Zeppelin asked, her expression concerned.

Jude nodded, her eyes adverted, her jaw clenched. "Yeah, I can't talk to him- not after what happened."

"What _did _happen, Jude?" Jamie asked.

She finally locked eyes with his, hers narrowed. "I don't want to talk about it, okay? Not now, at least. If he wants to apologize, he can come find me. But until then, I don't want to see him. So, please," she said, pleading. "Let's leave."

"Okay," Jamie said softly. "Come on."

--

Jude walked into her house in a daze. She quickly went upstairs, putting on her pajamas and walking back downstairs to lay on the couch. She didn't think her sister would be awake this late at night, so she was surprised when her sister's voice called out her name.

"Oh, hey, Sadie," she said, her voice tired. Sadie sat down next to where she lay, a cup of coffee in her hand.

"How was the show?" her sister asked.

Jude forced a smile. "It was great. We raised a lot of money for my album."

"So," she said, looking concerned. "Why do you look so upset then?"

Jude shrugged and Sadie sighed in response. She placed the coffee down on the table and turned to look at Jude.

"Come on, you can talk to me," she said.

Jude turned toward her, her eyes sleepy. They were glassy, small tears sliding down her cheeks. "Tommy was there."

Sadie's eyes widened. "Did he talk to you? What happened?"

"No, he didn't talk to me." she shook her head. "I didn't see him. Jamie did, said he was in the audience with Darius, but I didn't even know. I sang in front of that entire crowd, looked them all over, and I didn't know he was there the whole time. I don't even know why he was there."

Sadie frowned. "Maybe he came to see you."

"He didn't," Jude said quickly. "Sadie- he... he told me he didn't love me. He broke up with me while I was gone." Her face was wet with tears, but she didn't rub them away, just sat there, her eyes unfocused as she talked.

"Oh, Jude," she said, wrapping her arms around her sister. "It's going to be okay. Maybe he didn't mean it."

Jude sniffed. "He did, Sadie. He meant it. And I don't know what to do anymore. The music- it's all I have left."

"You have us," Sadie said, comforting her. "And you have your album to work on. You don't need Tommy."

"But what if I do?" Jude asked, looking up at Sadie with wide eyes. "What if I need him? I want him, Sadie. I love him. Why does it have to be so hard?"

"Look, Jude," she sighed. "Maybe Jamie was right. Maybe it's better without Tommy. I mean, I know it hurts, Jude. I know it hurts so, so much. But don't you think you'll feel better without him hurting you all the time?"

Jude shrugged and Sadie was surprised she didn't lash out like she thought she would have, especially when it came to Tommy.

"Thanks, Sadie," Jude said, emotionless, pulling away. "But I think I'm going to go to sleep now. I have to wake up early in the morning."

Sadie looked hurt for a moment, but nodded. "Sure."

--

**A/N: **Thanks everyone for the reviews! This was my favourite chapter to write by far, so I really hope you guys enjoy it. Tell me what you think, comments, suggestions, ect.


	7. Is this what we always wanted

**A/N: **I want to really thank you guys for all the reviews! :) It means the world to me. This chapter isn't my favourite. But next chapter is when all the drama starts happening so stay tuned. Also, an appearance from Tommy, whoo!

--

"If I said I was truly over you. My heart would say amen, but I give in to the cold caress of two AM," Jude sang, looking down at the floor, holding the headphones to her ears.

Jamie stopped the music, giving her a look. "You okay?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm just tired. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night." She had stayed up most of the night thinking, going over her and Tommy's relationship, Sadie's words repeating in her head, making her wonder if Tommy was actually worth it or not.

"You don't have to do the basement song if you don't want to," he told her, and she was suddenly reminded of Tommy when he had said the exact same thing.

She looked at him, inspired. "What did you say?"

He shrugged, giving her an odd look, confused. "You don't have to do the basement song?"

She nodded, suddenly feeling like singing to him- singing to Tommy. "Play the music again," she said. "I'll get it this time."

As she sang, he and Zeppelin exchanged an excited look.

"This album is so going to get us noticed," Zeppelin said, smiling. "She's amazing."

Jamie gave a small smile. "Yeah, she is."

--

Jude sat down on the sidewalk, throwing rocks onto the street lazily. Jamie came up beside her.

"Can I sit down?"

She nodded, laying her arms on her knees.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking at her curiously.

"Nothing," she said softly. "Just thinking about stuff."

He raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

She finally turned toward him. "About what you guys said to me, about Tommy being worth it or not."

He opened his mouth, but couldn't find the words. He just nodded instead.

"I'm starting to think... maybe you guys are right."

"Really?" he asked, surprised, yet for some reason, kind of sad. He didn't think this realization would hurt her- he thought it'd make her happy.

"Yeah," she continued. "Like, I mean, I really love him. I can't deny that."

Jamie's expression saddened.

"But I don't want to get hurt anymore, you know? Maybe we both just need time apart, to mature. Maybe later we can get back together or something. But we both have to change first and I'm not sure if that's going to be enough."

Tears welled in her eyes again just thinking about him. "I don't know why I'm so sad. It sucks, Jamie. It really sucks. I feel like I'm breaking," she said, her voice wavering.

"You're strong, Jude," he said suddenly. "You're going to be okay."

She nodded, laying her head on his shoulder. "I know I am. But I'm still sad. I wanted him so bad. It just sucks knowing you can't have it, that the person doesn't want you back."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," he said, his tone bitter without even meaning it to be.

She picked her head up and looked at him. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I shouldn't have said anything."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "No, it's okay. I want to hear it. I want to be there for you, Jude. If not as a boyfriend, then as a friend."

She smiled lightly and rested her head back on his shoulder. "I really do love you, Jamie. You're the best friend I've ever had."

"You too, Red," he said, a hand resting on her back, his fingers playing circles against her shirt, comforting her. "But we should probably get back into the studio. Zeppelin is waiting."

She nodded, and reluctantly, stood up. "Let's make an album," she said.

--

"So, how do we get advertising for the album?" Zeppelin asked. "Isn't that expensive?"

Jamie swirled around in his producer's chair, thinking. "It's expensive, yeah, but we still have some money from the show Jude played a week ago. Any ideas?" he asked, looking at Jude.

Jude opened her mouth, but before she could speak, a pair of feet bounded down the stairs to Jamie's basement.

"Hey dudes!" Spied said, his guitar strapped to his back and a pair of camera men following behind him. "Jude!" He rushed toward her, pulling her into a hug. "I feel like I haven't seen or talked to you in forever."

She gave a laugh. "I talked to you this morning."

"Oh yeah," he said, smiling. "Well, I heard you guys need funds."

"And advertising," Zeppelin said, sighing.

"And I need a solo album," he said. "So what do you think?"

Jamie raised an eyebrow. "You want to sign with us?"

"Yeah, dude," he said, putting his stuff down on the ground and pointing toward the guys behind him. "This is Chris and Mitch. They're my camera guys. It'd be a great way to advertise NBR and a new album."

Zeppelin and Jamie shared a look, then nodded. Jamie shook his hand. "You're in, buddy, on one condition."

"What?" he asked.

"SME still plays with Jude as her band," Jamie said and Jude looked at Spied, smiling. It was sweet of Jamie to do that, but-

"What are you talking about, dude? Once a band, always a band! Right, Jude?" he said, looking at her, grinning.

She laughed. "Of course. What can I say- I'm stuck with these guys."


	8. Is this a beautiful mistake

Jude woke suddenly, pulling the blanket off of her, confused as to how it even got there or how she got there.

"Hey," Zeppelin's voice came softly from beside her. Her eyes were tired, but she handed her a cup of coffee. "Here."

She sat up slightly in the chair she fell asleep in. Jamie was mixing a song as Spied performed in the monitor. "Thanks," she said. "How long was I out?"

Zeppelin gave a small smile. "About an hour or two."

"I didn't get a lot of sleep last night," she said, explaining.

Zeppelin nodded, seeming to understand. "Me too. There's been a lot to think about lately."

Jude knew exactly how she felt, suddenly pulled into the conversation with the girl she was previously jealous of for the connection she shared with Jamie. But right now, she seemed like a friend, like someone she could really connect with.

"Yeah, too much," she said. "It gets overwhelming sometimes. I keep thinking, wouldn't it be awesome to just, make the thoughts go away, even if only for a little while?"

Zeppelin nodded, but she looked as if her mind were elsewhere, in a world of her own. She opened her mouth to reply, but Jamie came toward them then, yawning.

"Do you guys want to call it a day?" he asked and Zeppelin agreed quickly.

But Jude was inspired. She grabbed her guitar, the words circling in her head, making her dizzy. Maybe she _could_ make them go away for a little while.

"You go," she said suddenly, already grabbing her journal out of her bag and placing it in front of her. "I want to work on something before I leave."

Zeppelin and Spied were already packing up while Jamie still stood there, curious eyes looking over her. "You promise you won't stay up all night?" He didn't want a repeat of last time, and when Jude turned to say something to him for being too overprotective, she saw the worry in his eyes and sighed.

"I promise," she said, crossing a finger over her heart.

"Okay," he said reluctantly and the three of them left her to her thoughts after saying goodbye.

She strummed a note on her guitar, feeling the song that was already created inside her head come through her fingertips. She remembered thinking that she wouldn't dwell on the drama with her and Tommy anymore, but the words were there and she couldn't get rid of them. They were begging to be let out, to be sung, and she didn't have a choice but to oblige.

--

She said goodbye to Jamie, quickly, upstairs and then left the house, her keys dangling from her fingers and her guitar case in her other hand, which was slipping. She awkwardly jumped, trying to grab a hold of it in her arms when it went toppling down to the ground.

Sighing, she bent down, checking it over to make sure the case wasn't bruised and that her guitar hadn't been scratched. She was about to get up, but a hand came into her view, holding her keys out to her.

"Tommy," she breathed as she looked up. "What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised. She wanted to be angry, but she was too tired and his visit was so unexpected. She wasn't quite sure what to think.

His face was emotionless. He helped her up and then stuffed both hands into his pockets, stepping slightly away from her. The motion hurt and she frowned. "I'm not really sure," he admitted.

She nodded then. "I need to go home," she said, trying to make her voice as emotionless as his expression. She walked past him.

"Jude, wait," he said, his voice dull. "Can we talk?"

She felt the pressure of tears trying to break free, but she held her breath, keeping them from falling. She wouldn't cry, at least not in front of him.

"I don't think that's a good idea," she said coldly, her back still turned toward him.

"Please," he said, but there was no pleading. It was almost like a request, as if he knew it would make her stay, as if he had some kind of power over her.

"I can't," she said, not wanting to give in. "I need to go home and-"

He turned her around, kissing her hard on the lips and pressing her body into his. Both of her hands pushed against his chest then, sending him away from her, breathless. She stared at him for a moment, her eyes wet.

"You're drunk," she said. It wasn't a question and he knew it. She tasted the alcohol in his mouth and the thought made her sad. He couldn't talk to her sober. "And unbelievable."

"I'm sorry," he said suddenly, his voice powerful and it affected her.

"For what?" she asked. She felt the yearning pulse through her veins and she _needed_ to hear it, needed to hear him apologize and know why he was doing it.

"For saying I didn't love you," he told her.

She felt the impulse to jump into his arms, to kiss him, or something. This was what she wanted, right? His words- they washed over her like an ocean and she was drowning in them, craving them, letting the waves crash down on her heart. She felt faint with it all, with relief, with sadness and doubt.

She couldn't do it, she couldn't let him affect her this way, not when it was so overpowering she felt like she couldn't breathe.

"Tommy-" she said, her voice pleading. He kissed her again, forcefully, passionately and she gave in, letting his lips caress hers and his hands travel down her back.

It was comforting, the feel of his body on hers. She could feel every muscle, every bit of definition pressing against her. She wanted more and so she opened her mouth, letting him kiss her deeper and his tongue make seducing circles against hers.

She pulled back again, tears running down her cheeks. His fingers moved down the skin there, wiping them away. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

"I can't," she said. "I can't do this anymore."

He looked hurt. "Why not, Jude? Why can't we just be, like how we were before?"

She shook her head, an expression of pain washing over her face. "Because-" she swallowed the tightness in her throat. "I can't let you hurt me again."

"I won't," he said, reaching for her hand. "I promise."

She moved away.

"Jude-"

"Tommy," she said, her voice cracking under the emotion. "I want this. I want this more than anything. I want you so much more than you can even imagine."

Her eyes darkened. "But we can't be together."

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because we don't fit, Tommy. Not anymore. We both need time apart, time to grow up and mature. Maybe later we can-" her voice cracked.

Her mind was telling her yes, that this was the right thing to say. But it hurt. God, it hurt and she wanted, instead, to have him hold her and comfort her.

"We can start where we left off, but not now. So, please, I don't want to talk about this anymore, not tonight."

Her words obviously stunned him and she used the opportunity to turn away and walk inside her house, leaving him standing there, speechless.

--

**A/N **- Thank you for all the lovely reviews. Here's the next update and another chapter will be posted soon, as it's already almost completed.


	9. Am I heading for disaster

"Okay, Harrison, let's break," Jamie said, pulling off his headphones. Jude walked, frustrated, out of their makeshift studio.

"I think I need to change the lyrics," she said. "Maybe that's what's throwing the song off. I need inspiration." She sighed, running a hand through her hair. Tommy had always been that one to help her when she was stuck, to pull her into that creative state and just rock it.

She had been doing fine on her own so far though. So what was the problem? Was it because of the night before? She sighed again. She couldn't get their conversation out of her head. Tommy's hurt look kept reappearing, making her feel somewhat regretful for what she had said to him.

But it was all true, right? And even if she had lied, to him and herself, she needed time. Her heart needed healing and she couldn't do that with Tommy, not now atleast. He hurt her. And she couldn't just let it go, not when she was so confused by him, by his motives and his lies and his sudden waves of he loves her, loves her not.

She tried to keep these thoughts at the forefront of her mind, the reasons why she had said what she did. Was it pathetic that she really wanted to cry right now?

Jamie nodded. "Maybe you've written the song, but you haven't meant it."

"What?" she asked, confused, Jamie's words bringing her back to reality.

"You're an amazing songwriter, Jude. We both know that. But no song is good unless it has meaning, right?"

She looked thoughtful for a minute, a verse clicking into place. "If I stayed standing, I'd be drowning. The rising waters make me choke."

Her hand moved in the air in sequence with her voice, working out a melody.

He quickly handed her a journal and pen, grinning as she began to write furiously. "As I am getting nearer, my mission is coming clear."

Once she finished, she placed the journal on the chair and sighed, feeling relaxed for the first time that day. "You were right," she said, pressing her lips together in a small smile.

"Aren't I always?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

"You're a good producer," she said. "I'm really proud of you, you know, for all this. NBR is going to be amazing."

His smirk dropped and he looked at her intensely, his face serious. "Thanks."

She nodded, biting her lip and looking away from his gaze, letting her hands drop to her lap. "So, want to come over tonight? Sadie won't be there and you know I hate being alone."

His eyebrows raised. "She's going out again? What is she doing?"

Jude shrugged. "I have no idea." She had been seeing less and less of her sister as the days went on. "She said she was working overtime, but I don't buy it."

"Me either."

"So, you in?" she asked, fluttering her lashes at him. "Please?"

He laughed. "Sure."

--

Jamie checked everything over in the studio, making sure everything was turned off before he left for Jude's.

He heard footsteps coming down the stairs and smiled.

"I'll be done in a second, Jude," he said, slipping a blanket over the sound board. He wasn't sure why he did it, but he wanted to protect it somehow.

"Uh, not Jude," a male voice said and he turned around, coming face to face with Tommy.

"Quincy?" His voice turned irritated. "What are you doing here?"

Tommy looked tired, like he hadn't slept for days. He ran a hand through his hair. "I need a favor," he said.

Jamie crossed his arms. "Yeah?" he asked sarcastically.

"Look, will you just give this to Jude?" He pulled out a small package, holding it in the air for Jamie to see.

"Why don't you give it to her yourself?"

He sighed. "She won't talk to me. Or answer any of my calls. So, I guess I have to resort to you, Andrews."

"And why would I do this for you?" His eyes narrowed at his tone.

"Because," he said softly. "I love her and I want that chance to make her happy, if she'll give it to me. I know you hate it, but me and Jude- we just are. And all I want is that chance, so..." His eyes softened.

Jamie sighed. "Fine," he said reluctantly, grabbing the package out of Tommy's hands. He didn't want to deal with this. A headache was already forming because of the conversation. "But I can't guarentee that she'll talk to you after this."

Tommy nodded, as if accepting the fact, and then left.

--

"Hey, Jude," Jamie said as she opened the door, her face bright. The package weighed down underneath his arm and he pressed his arm closer to his side, keeping it in place.

"Come on." She grabbed his hand and pulled him along. She was wearing pajamas, her hair tied up messily into a ponytail. He only hoped this wasn't another Harrison movie night. "Okay, so what do you want to do?"

She looked at him expectantly, but before he could answer, she continued rambling. There was something off about her tone. It sounded happy, but he felt like there was something wrong, that she was hiding something.

"We can watch a movie or play a game or anything really. It's up to you," she said, pressing her lips together and staring at him.

"Uh, sure," he said, nodding, but he couldn't exactly pay attention to anything she was saying. "But first, um, here."

He handed her the package and she took it, shaking it lightly, an uncertain smile on her face. "You got me something? Why?" she asked, curiously. "What is it?"

He scratched the back of his head, feeling extremely awkward. His stomach felt like it was dropping, heavy with foreboding. There was a feeling of dread around the whole conversation and he could sense it.

And for some reason, he was ashamed with the fact that Tommy had gotten her a present, one that made her look so excited, and he hadn't.

"It's not from me," he said softly, his voice barely a whisper.

Her brows knit together, her throat suddenly feeling dry. "Who's it from?" she asked, her voice almost as inaudible as his.

"Tommy."

"Oh." The mood shifted quickly. Her back straightened and her jaw set. Her face was expressionless.

She looked down at it then, a weird feeling coming over her. She wasn't sure what it was. Fear? Hope? But she didn't tear into it like she normally would have. She sat it gently on the coffee table and turned back to Jamie.

"You're not going to open it?" he asked before she could say anything about it. He wanted to know what it was.

She shrugged her shoulders lazily. "I'll open it some other time. It's not a big deal." She kept her face cool, adverting her eyes, trying to calm herself. Her heart was throbbing in her chest. What the hell was Tommy up to?

--

**A/N: **Alright, guys, here's the next chapter. All your reviews have been amazing and have really inspired me to keep writing, so thank you. Tell me what you think of this, honestly. Tell me what you want to see coming up, or what you want to happen... I have the outline already, but I'd love ideas that I could throw in.

Major drama is coming up starting next chapter... it's where the true JADE story begins. And more Jude/Tommy confusion. Poor Jude. She's so lost. But she'll find her way. It'll just take a few wrong turns and a lot of drama to get there. :)


	10. Are we pretending to be sure

It had been days and the package still lay on her coffee table. She had refused to meet Tommy's eyes when she went to G Major to pick up the rest of her stuff, and thankfully, he hadn't said a word to her.

Sadie had only come home one night since then, and when she had mentioned the package, Jude lied.

"It's from Jamie," she said, looking down toward the floor. She knew if she had looked up, her sister would have caught on. Sadie always had that power to know when she was lying or not.

"Oh," was her sister's only reply as she took off her coat and threw it over the couch. She looked exhausted, but she was glowing.

"Where have you been?" Jude asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Sadie didn't flinch at the words. She was calm and collected, as always, as she sat down on the couch.

"Had to finish some stuff at work," she said, her voice even and flat. She picked up the remote from the coffee table and turned on the stereo system.

"Yeah?" Jude raised an eyebrow, looking down over her sister from where she stood in the middle of the living room.

Sadie sighed, annoyed. "What do you want from me, Jude? You're obviously keyed up about something, so out with it already."

"I'm trying to look out for you!" Jude blurted. "You're staying at G Major overnight? I'm sorry, but that's bullshit. What's going on?"

"Look," Sadie said, her face serious. "We've been busy ever since you were dropped. We've got triple the work load and we've got to get our new artists out into the market. And the last time I checked, you weren't my mother."

Jude nodded, calming down. She wasn't sure why, but the fact that G Major was working overtime ever since she left gave her a little burst of joy. She wanted them to know what they were missing, no matter how conceited that made her feel. She wanted them to have to bust their asses to replace her.

But Sadie's comment still didn't get rid of her suspicions. She never once heard of any employee, besides Darius, staying overnight to finish something. Tommy and her had stayed late producing, but they were always the last to leave.

"Fine," Jude gave in, reluctantly. She didn't want to fight with her sister.

"Feel better?" Sadie asked, her tone sarcastic and her eyes narrowed.

Jude wanted to shake her head and give a smartass comment back, but stopped herself. "Yeah," she said, her voice flat. "I'm going up to my room."

Her sister nodded and grabbed a magazine from the table, already flipped through it as Jude picked up her package, ignoring Sadie's inquiring gaze, and made her way upstairs.

She looked her bedroom door behind her and tossed the package onto her bed. Her back hit the closed door and she slid down it, sitting down Indian style on the floor and running a hand through her disheveled hair.

Everything felt like it was out of control, but she wasn't sure why. Her feelings and thoughts were all so confusing and mixed and everything around her felt like it was spinning.

The only good thing was that her and Jamie were friends again and she was working with NBR. The only time she honestly felt happy was when she was with them, when she was recording and laughing and just being herself.

So why was it that every time she left, she felt lost and alone?

She gave a small scream, letting our her frustration. She needed something to get her mind off of everything that was going on. Hey eyes caught the package lying still on her bed and she jumped up, tearing it open quickly.

There was another box inside and a letter. She unfolded the paper first, her heart starting to race in her chest.

_Jude, I've been thinking a lot about us since I last saw you and I felt like it was time I owed you a few explanations. I know it's been long overdue, and I'm sorry for that, for keeping part of myself from you. But I didn't think it'd affect us like it did. I wanted to tell you in person that night I saw you, but the words wouldn't form. So, here goes. _

_I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I've done to you. I'm sorry for saying I didn't love you. I was lying. I was so caught up in my own shit that I tried to push you away and that obviously didn't work, because I can't stay away from you. It's impossible. Everything always leads back to you. _

_My family is screwed up, Jude. Not that it's an excuse, but I was ashamed. I didn't want you to see it. I always feel like there are things about me you shouldn't know, because if you knew, maybe you wouldn't like me as much as you say you do. I was afraid my family and my past would make you go away, so instead, I thought I'd be in control of that and push you away myself. And it worked. _

_But I messed up, I know. I didn't want to hurt you and what I did, I realize it was all selfish. Everything I've done to you was selfish. I do it to protect myself and I'm sorry. I've changed a lot, Jude, since you left. Your visit and being at home made me realize that I had a lot of growing up to do. I don't know if you can forgive me, but will you try? _

_This package is a promise. I promise, that if you'll let me, I'll love you the rest of my life._

_Tommy_

In a daze, Jude let the letter fall to the ground and her fingers found the second package, ripping off the paper and opening its dark blue casing.

Inside was a ring. She picked it out of the small pocket and examined it. The words 'I love you' were engraved into the plain, silver ring.

It was beautiful, she decided. She pushed the ring down onto her ring finger, but it was loose. Instead, she let it glide down her skin and settle at the bottom of her middle finger, where it felt the most comfortable.

She held her hand into the light, letting it shine off the silver. Sighing, she let her hand fall and quickly, she took the ring off of her finger.

The confusion began to settle in, like a weight on her shoulders, holding her down and letting it consume her. No words or thoughts made sense.

She picked herself up from where she sat on the floor, the ring still held tightly in her hand and walked toward her dresser. She opened the top of her jewelry box and found a silver necklace that she rarely ever wore. Taking off the charm that was already on it, she threaded the chain through the ring and clasped it around her neck, the ring settling below her shirt on her chest.

Good, she thought. Her clothes would hide it so that she could wear it without anyone knowing.

--

Jude reached a hand over Jamie's, pressing a button on the soundboard before he could get to it. He sighed in response, letting her take control for a little while. This was her passion after all. And who could come between Jude and her music?

"How does it sound?" she asked, her head turning to look at him, waiting with bated breath.

"It sounds amazing, Jude," he said, his lips curving into a smile. "I think we're done."

Instead of seeming pleased at the idea, she frowned in response. "What are you talking about? We still have a lot to do."

"_I _have a lot to do," he corrected. "Everything's been laid down, so it's official, Harrison. You're fourth album is finished."

"Finished?" Her brain couldn't wrap around the idea and Jamie looked at her, confused, concerned.

"Well, we still need to do a few more things and figure out how we're going to get it on the market, advertising, ect. but yeah, it's basically finished. Your part, anyway." He smiled at her, expecting her to be as excited as he was.

But she wasn't.

"I don't know," she said, shaking her head. "I think I need to resing 'That Was Us'. I was a little tired when I did it, so my voice was off. I want it to sound pure, romantic, longing... you know?"

Jamie's eyes roamed over her face, trying to figure out what was going through her head. "Jude, we've already redone it twice. It's good and your voice sounds perfect."

"No, nothing's perfect. It's all wrong." she said, insisting, and she meant way more than just the songs.

He was completely floored by this though and confused. "We're not doing ti again," he told her, his voice stern. "You need to go home and take a break. We've been working for days straight. Maybe you need sleep or something."

"I can't, Jamie," she said, pleading, her eyes tired. "Everything's wrong and I need to fix it. You don't understand."

He stood up from where he sat and quickly crossed the room toward her, his arms settling on both of her shoulders. "Jude," he breathed. "You're not making any sense, okay? Come on, we're going home."

"No, I-" she started, but he shook her slightly, his eyes concerned.

"Come on," he repeated.

He grabbed her hand, his fingers entwining with hers as he led her out of the studio and down their street toward her house, ignoring her small protests. But she didn't say them with much passion. She was too tired to.

Lifting up the rug in front of her house, he pulled out the spare key and unlocked the door.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" she asked, her voice sounding distant. Her hand clutched the top of her shirt, her fingers feeling the outline of the ring hidden underneath.

His eyebrows knit together. "Why?" Not that he was complaining, but they were just friends, according to Jude. And staying with her for the night meant awkwardness for him.

"I don't want to be alone."

Reluctantly, he nodded and led her upstairs toward her room. It only took minutes to convince her to change into pajamas and get into bed. She rolled to the right side, leaving room for him and so he slid in, under the covers, beside her. He could feel the heat radiating from her body.

Her eyes drifted closed, the emotions and pressure from earlier fading away as she drifted to sleep.

--

**A/N - **It's been awhile since I last updated, so I hope you guys really like this chapter. Please review/tell me what you think. Tell me what you'd like to see happen, ect.

I really wanted to portray here that Tommy's not the idiot we all think he can be sometimes, and he's definitely not that bad... he just makes a lot of mistakes and sometimes, enough is enough, you know? But Jude deserves someone better, definitely. :)


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